1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic developing member (hereinafter also simply “developing member”) used in electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a process for its production. This invention further relates to an electrophotographic process cartridge having this electrophotographic developing member, and also to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the performance that is required for electrophotographic developing members which feed developers to electrophotographic photosensitive members on which electrostatic latent images have been formed has become higher with progress toward higher speed and higher image quality.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-235941, it is disclosed to set the hardness of a surface layer of a developing member (developer carrying member) higher than that of an inner layer so as to bring the developing member into uniform contact with an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and also set the developing nip small in width so as to enable formation of uniform and good-contrast images. This technique enables formation of images with a good image quality at halftone areas.